Egyptian javelin thrower Ihab Abdel-Rahman and hammer thrower Mustafa Al-Gamal represented the African continent at the 2014 IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federation) Continental Cup held from 13-14 September in Marrakech, Morocco. The tournament involved teams from Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe. Total prize money was close to $3 million. In the men's javelin, African champion and 2014 world leader Abdel-Rahman (playing for the African continent) claimed the gold medal with a throw of 85.44 metres. Abdel-Rahman made history by becoming the first non-European winner of the men's javelin at the World or Continental Cup. Czech world champion Vitezslav Vesely, representing Europe, took the silver medal with a throw of 83.77metres. Trinidad and Tobago's Keshorn Walcott, who won a gold medal in the Olympic Games in London 2012 and was the first black male athlete to win the gold medal in a throwing event in the history of the Olympics, finished in third place and took the bronze medal with a throw of 83.52 metres. Executive Director and General Supervisor of the national teams of the Egyptian Athletics Federation (EAF) Ahmed Al-Wardani said, “Abdel-Rahman is now a world leader. He can beat anyone. Olympic champion Vesely won gold at the world championships in Moscow 2013 but finished in fourth place at the Olympic Games in London 2012.” In the men's hammer, Hungarian Krisztián Pars (representing the European continent) took the gold medal with a throw 78.99 metres. African record-holder Al-Gamal (for Africa) snatched second place and a silver medal with a throw of 78.89 metres. Polish record holder Pawel Fajdek for Europe finished in third with a throw of 78.05 metres. Al-Gamal said smiling, “It was a big achievement for me and Abdel-Rahman to compete for the gold medals. The difference between my result and Pars was just 10 centimetres. At the beginning of the season, my best personal throw was 81.27 metres at the Republic Cup Championship in Cairo in April 2014.” Al-Gamal set a new world, Arab and African record, breaking the previous record held by Pars who won a gold medal with a throw 80.59 metres at the Olympic Games London 2012. Al-Wardani told Al-Ahram Weekly, “The competition was very difficult. The athletes were the best players in the world.” Olympic champion Pars won gold at the Olympic Games in London, gold at the European championship in Zurich 2014, a silver medal at the World Championship in Moscow 2013 and silver at the European Championships in Zurich 2014. World champion Fajdek took gold at the World Championships in Moscow 2014. On the preparations of the athletes for the IAAF Continental Cup, Al-Wardani said, “Abdel-Rahman was in training camp in Finland starting from January. Al-Gamal was training in Cairo. He played three championships before the Cup, and trained in Marrakech three weeks before the IAAF Continental Cup.” “Abdel-Rahman and Al-Gamal have completed 50 per cent of the EAF's plan for 2012-2014. In 2015, they will get ready for the 15th IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China, the 11th All-Africa Games hosted by Brazzaville, in the Republic of the Congo and the 13th Pan Arab Games in Beirut, Lebanon,” added Al-Wardani. On 16 September, Minister of Youth and Sports Khaled Abdel-Aziz held a press conference in which he honoured Abdel-Rahman and Al-Gamal with prize money. Al-Wardani confirmed that Egyptian President Abdel -Fattah Al-Sisi will meet them in the next few weeks.
